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Reef safe invert stocking ?s

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Well I got a cycled tank that is about to begin being stocked. I had a couple mollies in the tank in order to assist the cycle, they were just taken back to the LFS today. I have maybe 50-60lbs of live rock and base rock in my 29 gallon high, wit some mushrooms, polyps, and xenia coral frags that came with the live rock. I want to get a single or pair of false percula, and a yellow watchman goby, with a pistol shrimp to accompany him. Other than that I would like to add a few inverts to the tank. I'm fairly new to salt water, and I don't wanna overcrowd, but I would like to get an emerald crab, an arrow crab, 4-5 peppermint shrimp, a britte star, a few turbo snails, a coral banded shrimp and a sally light foot crab. really don't know if these guys are all compatible, or if this is too much...so any input would be appreciated.

The arrow crab and coral banded shrimp are hit or miss with being reef safe. I wouldn't put them into the tank if you don't want to have to deal with possibly taking them back.

Crabs are usually hit or miss. Adult sally can grab your fish. Emerald may or may not pick on your corals.

I would just keep snails/shrimps/small hermits for inverts. The brittle may snack on your hermits though if they're small enough.

Do pay attention and make sure you get peppermint shrimps and not camel shrimp. They look similar but camel shrimps like to pick at corals.

Think with logic and rationality more than emotion. Act with moderation and consideration. Contemplate ideals and realistic goals and weigh out possibilities and options. Temper not with personal delusions or false hope but learn to accept and move on.

The pistol may eat the peppermint shrimp and if you do a coral banded I know he will eat them

Any reason why you say a coral banded may not be reef safe? We've had ours close to 2 years with no problems and our tank has sps, lps, softies, a clam and 3 or 4 bubble tip anemone's. I also know at least 5 people locally that have coral banded shrimp in reef tanks and they have never had any problems.

I was just thinking of the small tank and if he was to put the coral banded in there with small fishes and corals & peppermint, the banded will eat the shrimp, grab the small fishes, and pick at certain corals and take their food from them.

I had a banded once in a smaller setting and he kept annoying my LPS by picking at the tentacles when I tried to feed it. I got tired of him and upgraded the banded into the sump.

Think with logic and rationality more than emotion. Act with moderation and consideration. Contemplate ideals and realistic goals and weigh out possibilities and options. Temper not with personal delusions or false hope but learn to accept and move on.

I would pass on the sallylightfoot with this small of a tank. Also, I would choose either the coral banded or the arrow crab. They might fight for territory in your tank. The peppermint shrimp should be fine in your tank but if you just like having shrimp, look for something a little more interesting like a skunk cleaner or a bumblebee shrimp.

Two glaring omissions from your CUC is hermit crabs (blue leg, scarlet etc.) and snails (nassarius, nerite, cerith etc.) These are the bread and butter of any CUC. Check out www.reefscavengers.com for some great deals, I buy all of my inverts there.